By Palestinian Centre for Human Rights
Press Release, January 28, 2016
The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) strongly condemns the Israeli forces arrest of Mohammed Abu Tair, member of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) from the Change and Reform Bloc of Hamas Movement representing Jerusalem. Abu Tair was arrested from his house in Kufor Aqeb village, south of Ramallah. PCHR calls upon the international community and organizations to practice pressure on Israel to guarantee the immediate release of Abu Tair and other PLC members detained in the Israeli jails in order to allow them to perform their parliamentary roles.
According to investigations conducted by PCHR, on 28 January 2016, Israeli forces raided a house belonging to PLC member Mohammed Abu Tair (65) in Kufor Aqeb village after he was deported from Jerusalem in 2010. Israeli forces then arrested him and took him to an unknown destination.
The Israeli authorities deported Abu Tair from Jerusalem to Ramallah in December 2010. On 02 July 2013, Israeli forces arrested him from his house in Ramallah for two years. He was then released on 30 July 2015.
This arrest is the second of its kind against PLC members since the beginning of 2016. On 23 January 2016, Israeli forces arrested Hatem Qafisha, PLC member from the Change and Reform Bloc also, from his house in Hebron. He has been in detention so far. Therefore, the number of PLC members detained in the Israeli jails has risen to seven.
PCHR condemns the arrest of Abu Tair and the other detained PLC members, and
- Calls for the immediate release of Abu Tair and all PLC members detained in the Israeli jails; and
- Calls upon the international community, including the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention, to fulfil obligations and take responsibilities by promptly taking actions to put an end to violations of the international law committed by Israeli forces against the Palestinian civilians.